Sad news from Rotorheads
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Raise a glass
No doubt we shal raise a glass or two to AJ on the 26th.
It was good sport at Benson to take a contrary point on a matter being discussed by AJ. Just drop in a one liner and retire, he would still be muttering when you came back later and he would then start again to make sure he got his point across.
But a great pair of hands - the man could fly!
God speed AJ
It was good sport at Benson to take a contrary point on a matter being discussed by AJ. Just drop in a one liner and retire, he would still be muttering when you came back later and he would then start again to make sure he got his point across.
But a great pair of hands - the man could fly!
God speed AJ
Watching brikkies build the new Ops bldg at Aldergrove.
"See them lot, that's the job fer me. You don't get some bastard coming up to you every six months asking you what yer immediate actions are if you drop a brick. Or asking you the cubic capacity of yer fookin' trowel."
Someone at Fenton must be able to verify the trying to go under power lines in a JP story. As well as 'I didn't sign for it, I didn't over-stress it' to a creamie during aeros.
And someone from 230 get the linebooks out and share the rest..
I guess there's door gunners all over the world putting the batteries back into their TV remotes.
"See them lot, that's the job fer me. You don't get some bastard coming up to you every six months asking you what yer immediate actions are if you drop a brick. Or asking you the cubic capacity of yer fookin' trowel."
Someone at Fenton must be able to verify the trying to go under power lines in a JP story. As well as 'I didn't sign for it, I didn't over-stress it' to a creamie during aeros.
And someone from 230 get the linebooks out and share the rest..
I guess there's door gunners all over the world putting the batteries back into their TV remotes.
Last edited by Dunhovrin; 30th Oct 2010 at 20:32.
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AJ goodbye matey.....
My sincere and heartfelt condolencies to Ang and the kids...
Despite having a 'golden side' in his character - he really was the most Royal pain in the arse I have ever known...he cocked up the ATP slot at Benson through his abject selfishness causing unnecessary 'grief' to several of his closest colleagues despite being advised to the contrary.
His unwillingness to conform lost the UTP/UTC slots at Benson which from a personal viewpoint was unforgiveable.
Rumour has it that the Omagh TV dibber was in his nav bag!!
Yes the World is a poorer place without AJ; a fantastic pilot - but what a selfish git!
Despite having a 'golden side' in his character - he really was the most Royal pain in the arse I have ever known...he cocked up the ATP slot at Benson through his abject selfishness causing unnecessary 'grief' to several of his closest colleagues despite being advised to the contrary.
His unwillingness to conform lost the UTP/UTC slots at Benson which from a personal viewpoint was unforgiveable.Rumour has it that the Omagh TV dibber was in his nav bag!!
Yes the World is a poorer place without AJ; a fantastic pilot - but what a selfish git!
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AJ
Very sad news. Condolences to his family and friends.
AJ taught me a trick or two during my first tour in Germany - the zero speed autorotation and the (virtually) hands off autopilot out landing - 'loook, it's joost flying itself'.
Later, I was (notionally!) in command of AJ as he passed on his skills to a new generation of pilots.
Infuriating as he could sometimes be(!), he always generated a barrage of amusing moments. We shared a visit the Puma Simulator in Norway where I came very close to saving more money than he did. In the simulator, I'll always remember him practicing a tail rotor drive failure where the company instructor attempted to offer advice only to be told to 'foookin shut-up, can't you see I'm busy...'.
He was ever the Crewroom philosopher who would freely offer his opinions on life - his solution to the 'troubles in NI' was novel, if somewhat controversial. I remember that one of the best 'sports' of the time was to go into a packed Crewroom containing AJ and throw in a provocative comment that indicated that the political leadership of the time was doing a good job - then leave!
AJ, a genuine individual, good pair of hands and someone who could be guaranteed to make you laugh, RIP.
AJ taught me a trick or two during my first tour in Germany - the zero speed autorotation and the (virtually) hands off autopilot out landing - 'loook, it's joost flying itself'.
Later, I was (notionally!) in command of AJ as he passed on his skills to a new generation of pilots.
Infuriating as he could sometimes be(!), he always generated a barrage of amusing moments. We shared a visit the Puma Simulator in Norway where I came very close to saving more money than he did. In the simulator, I'll always remember him practicing a tail rotor drive failure where the company instructor attempted to offer advice only to be told to 'foookin shut-up, can't you see I'm busy...'.
He was ever the Crewroom philosopher who would freely offer his opinions on life - his solution to the 'troubles in NI' was novel, if somewhat controversial. I remember that one of the best 'sports' of the time was to go into a packed Crewroom containing AJ and throw in a provocative comment that indicated that the political leadership of the time was doing a good job - then leave!
AJ, a genuine individual, good pair of hands and someone who could be guaranteed to make you laugh, RIP.
Condolences to the family - a rare character has gone the way of all things.
No-one's yet mentioned the AJ method for removing insects from Gazelle pitot tubes - the one which involved leaving a ring of scorched lip around the nearly-red-hot item in question.
I reckon the BMW sales-volk around Laarbruch had nearly as hard a time of it as any of the hierarchy - d'you remember the grief he gave them when his brand-new 1-Series was found (after purchase) to be unable to take snow-chains?
No-one's yet mentioned the AJ method for removing insects from Gazelle pitot tubes - the one which involved leaving a ring of scorched lip around the nearly-red-hot item in question.
I reckon the BMW sales-volk around Laarbruch had nearly as hard a time of it as any of the hierarchy - d'you remember the grief he gave them when his brand-new 1-Series was found (after purchase) to be unable to take snow-chains?
Dondiggin I tried to PM and Email you but you are not able to receive.
Kudosaviation went belly up last year and was disolved earlier this year.
Did you work for them for a short time?
HB999
Kudosaviation went belly up last year and was disolved earlier this year.
Did you work for them for a short time?
HB999
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Dundiggin,
Please accept my sincere condolences for the loss of your UTP position at Benson. It must have been such a tragedy for you.
Who is the selfish git now?
Please accept my sincere condolences for the loss of your UTP position at Benson. It must have been such a tragedy for you.
Who is the selfish git now?
Epiphany,
Hold your horses pal, Dundigin has spoken his truth and you have no way of knowing what effect AJ’s actions had on his quality of life; I know that from the content of your post.
AJ was not afraid of anybodies truth. He said it how he saw it, and loved for others to do the same; mainly because it gave him the chance to say more.
He was, in all fairness, a Marmite kind of guy, on an hourly basis! He could put your back up or a big smile on your face at any given moment, he could be belligerent or incredibly accommodating, irritating or endearing just like most folk in fact but, he did it all more intensely and, dare I say, a bit louder and with more style than most!
If anybody from: a NI sectarian organisation, ethnic minority, diverse cultural group, transgender, transsexual or cross dressing group, Police, RAF Police, Provost Officer, ac Techie, SEngO, JEngO, Senior Army, Navy or RAF Officer, any of the UKs political parties, or indeed any one from the society of people who like to watch one programme on the television for more than 10 seconds, were to have crept up on AJ and done something despicable, his untimely demise may have drawn a sage nod from those who knew him. What is hard to take, is that it happened whilst those incredibly capable hands were on the sticks.
There is a little less colour in the world now, but not in our memories of AJ, a good man.
RIP old soldier.
P.S. When did he start dyeing his hair grey?
Hold your horses pal, Dundigin has spoken his truth and you have no way of knowing what effect AJ’s actions had on his quality of life; I know that from the content of your post.
AJ was not afraid of anybodies truth. He said it how he saw it, and loved for others to do the same; mainly because it gave him the chance to say more.
He was, in all fairness, a Marmite kind of guy, on an hourly basis! He could put your back up or a big smile on your face at any given moment, he could be belligerent or incredibly accommodating, irritating or endearing just like most folk in fact but, he did it all more intensely and, dare I say, a bit louder and with more style than most!
If anybody from: a NI sectarian organisation, ethnic minority, diverse cultural group, transgender, transsexual or cross dressing group, Police, RAF Police, Provost Officer, ac Techie, SEngO, JEngO, Senior Army, Navy or RAF Officer, any of the UKs political parties, or indeed any one from the society of people who like to watch one programme on the television for more than 10 seconds, were to have crept up on AJ and done something despicable, his untimely demise may have drawn a sage nod from those who knew him. What is hard to take, is that it happened whilst those incredibly capable hands were on the sticks.
There is a little less colour in the world now, but not in our memories of AJ, a good man.
RIP old soldier.
P.S. When did he start dyeing his hair grey?
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I am well aware of AJ's human failings - in fact I even have some myself. There is a time and place for Dundiggin's truth and by not observing those restraints he is demonstrating his own failings.
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Dundiggin
I am with Epiphany on this one. There is not a single person out there without faults, but the simple thing is, if you can't say something good on a condolences thread then have the good grace to say nothing. As you are aware AJ's family and kids have been reading this thread and the one on Rotorheads, and no matter how much I dislike you right now, were you to suddenly pop your cloggs at this moment I would not tell your kids what a complete c**k you are at a time of immense mourning for you. So I tell you what, you delete your comment along with xenolith and I will delete this. AJ may always have spoken what he saw as the truth to you, but at the end of the day he said it when people were in front of him to stand their ground and answer back. For you to bitch and moan about the fact you lost a UTP slot (and you would have made a crap one anyway) is out of order, and frankly AJ did Benson a favour. Now would you like this post again along with your real name in public! C**k!
I am with Epiphany on this one. There is not a single person out there without faults, but the simple thing is, if you can't say something good on a condolences thread then have the good grace to say nothing. As you are aware AJ's family and kids have been reading this thread and the one on Rotorheads, and no matter how much I dislike you right now, were you to suddenly pop your cloggs at this moment I would not tell your kids what a complete c**k you are at a time of immense mourning for you. So I tell you what, you delete your comment along with xenolith and I will delete this. AJ may always have spoken what he saw as the truth to you, but at the end of the day he said it when people were in front of him to stand their ground and answer back. For you to bitch and moan about the fact you lost a UTP slot (and you would have made a crap one anyway) is out of order, and frankly AJ did Benson a favour. Now would you like this post again along with your real name in public! C**k!
Last edited by Henry09; 1st Nov 2010 at 10:50.
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I had the pleaseure of flying with AJ on 230 at Gut.
He told it the way it was. After a really bad ride, he invited me to walk around the hangar looking like a buckeroo loaded up with about half the Sqn's nav bags to prove a point ( ie: get to the target - humping a MILAN post across the German plains is not a joke ).
Hated it at the time, but with hindsight everything he told me was 1000% correct and as a teaching point he was spot on - AJ style.
20+ years on, you remember stuff like that and you respect the messenger because of it. So if you cannot be positive for his family then please be quiet.
RIP AJ
He told it the way it was. After a really bad ride, he invited me to walk around the hangar looking like a buckeroo loaded up with about half the Sqn's nav bags to prove a point ( ie: get to the target - humping a MILAN post across the German plains is not a joke ).
Hated it at the time, but with hindsight everything he told me was 1000% correct and as a teaching point he was spot on - AJ style.
20+ years on, you remember stuff like that and you respect the messenger because of it. So if you cannot be positive for his family then please be quiet.
RIP AJ
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Even from beyond the grave AJ has got you lot bitching at each other - now that's a skill!
I remember the first time I met AJ, it was the just before he returned to 72 for his last stint. He was working for someone out of Blackpool (might have been rigs or air ambulance - don't recall) I was leading a pair of Pumas on a NICO and we stopped there for a suck of gas (well it was a Puma!). Having shut down all I remember was this random civvie wandering over to the cab and shouting "who the fook are you then, I'm coming back to teach you monkeys to fly soon!" and then disappearing without so much as an introduction - legend!
I also received the geese lecture but I think it concluded with "and they didn't brief for 2 hrs before hand did they?"
Certainly had my fair share of run ins with AJ but then didn't we all, I recall one time despite AJ being firmly in the wrong and having admitted it, he managed to persuade OC 72 to give me the hats on bollocking as it would be "character building" for a junior monkey like me who thought he'd got one over on a old hand!
At the end of the day he was a gifted pilot who taught me and the vast majority of my muckers most of what we know and that was a fraction of what he knew. I'm just amazed that he popped his clogs at the controls of a helicopter.
RIP and condolences to family and friends.
I remember the first time I met AJ, it was the just before he returned to 72 for his last stint. He was working for someone out of Blackpool (might have been rigs or air ambulance - don't recall) I was leading a pair of Pumas on a NICO and we stopped there for a suck of gas (well it was a Puma!). Having shut down all I remember was this random civvie wandering over to the cab and shouting "who the fook are you then, I'm coming back to teach you monkeys to fly soon!" and then disappearing without so much as an introduction - legend!
I also received the geese lecture but I think it concluded with "and they didn't brief for 2 hrs before hand did they?"
Certainly had my fair share of run ins with AJ but then didn't we all, I recall one time despite AJ being firmly in the wrong and having admitted it, he managed to persuade OC 72 to give me the hats on bollocking as it would be "character building" for a junior monkey like me who thought he'd got one over on a old hand!
At the end of the day he was a gifted pilot who taught me and the vast majority of my muckers most of what we know and that was a fraction of what he knew. I'm just amazed that he popped his clogs at the controls of a helicopter.
RIP and condolences to family and friends.
Sincere Condolances
A great guy, who brings back many memories of my times in NI. As a Tizwoz operator, AJ was a character never to be forgotten! Although abrupt at times and sometimes critical of our cooking abilities at Omagh, he ALWAYS made sure we were looked after and didnt get too much grief from the resident Battalion. Always offered us a flight so we could actually get off the base for a brief spell and see what you guys got upto... Always into the top seat in the crewroom and TV the handset firmly in his grasp, mammoth STAR TREK next generation episodes were the norm for the next 24hrs. A great character who will be missed! My thoughts are with his family and friends.
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AJ Over Tyrone & Fermanagh
No military career photos yet, so here’s one of AJ in his Crabair office on 15th August 2003, just west of The Deanery in Clogher (Y532), heading for Grosvenor -
and a Lough Erne view of XW231 from the Aldergrove-bound XW237, with Angelo civil runway in the background and Navaar viewpoint on the horizon.
A***n L*****r in the doorway, Ade P*******n in the rh seat and Flt Lt Smith monitoring two rotor spans separation. Understandably, none were keen to face the camera as I wasn’t Phamous enough on 230 Sqn for them to be certain of their own security, but I was made welcome for an enjoyable and entertaining hour or two in the Yellows & Greens.
My condolences to his family.
and a Lough Erne view of XW231 from the Aldergrove-bound XW237, with Angelo civil runway in the background and Navaar viewpoint on the horizon.
A***n L*****r in the doorway, Ade P*******n in the rh seat and Flt Lt Smith monitoring two rotor spans separation. Understandably, none were keen to face the camera as I wasn’t Phamous enough on 230 Sqn for them to be certain of their own security, but I was made welcome for an enjoyable and entertaining hour or two in the Yellows & Greens.
My condolences to his family.